Mahant Karamjit Singh is ad hoc HSGMC chief

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Kurukshetra, December 21

Mahant Karamjit Singh was elected president of the ad hoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) in Kurukshetra on Wednesday. The government-appointed members of the HSGMC elected committee’s 11-member executive body, including five office-bearers and six executive body members.

Karamjit Singh, who belongs to Yamunanagar, is the head of the Sewapanthi sect, and has been associated with several educational institutions. His name was proposed by deputy chairman of the Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Academy Gurvinder Singh Dhamija and seconded by other members. However, former HSGMC chief Baljit Singh Daduwal marked his resentment and boycotted the meeting.

In the election, Bhupinder Singh Assandh was elected senior vice-president, Gurmeet Singh junior vice-president, Gurvinder Singh Dhamija general secretary and Mohanjit Singh joint secretary. Ravinder Kaur (former SGPC member), Jaswant Singh, Gurbax Singh, Ramneek Singh Mann (media coordinator of the Haryana CM), Jagsir Singh and Vinner Singh have been elected members of the executive body.

Karamjit Singh said, “We will work with a progressive mindset. We will run the committee with transparency and with the support of all members. We will not allow any kind of politics in gurdwaras and only sewa will be performed there.”

Karmjit Singh was among the Sikh leaders who attended a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year.

Baljit Singh Daduwal said, “Karamjit Singh’s name was proposed by the government, but I was not satisfied. He did nothing for the HSGMC. I have always worked for the committee and will continue to serve as a member.”

Later, former senior vice-president Didar Singh Nalvi marked his resentment over the election. He said, “Election rules were flouted. Bhupinder Singh Assandh is the SGPC member and he can’t be the executive body member in the HSGMC too. I, along with Pramjeet Singh Makha, Baldev Singh Khalsa, Sujender Singh and Gurmeet Singh, have lodged our objection. I will consult my lawyers and Sikh sangat and will challenge the election in court. The government is trying to create differences among the Sikhs.”

Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma, who presided over the election, said, “The elections were conducted as per the norms. For the post of president, only one name was proposed while for the post of senior vice-president, we got two names. Every person has the right to contest.”

SGPC rejects new panel

Amritsar: The SGPC refused to recognise the 11-member executive body — five office-bearers and six executive body members — elected for the ad hoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee in Kurukshetra on Wednesday. SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami here on Wednesday termed the move a direct intervention of the BJP-run Haryana Government in the Sikh affairs. He angrily stated that the Sikh community would never endorse a government-foisted committee. He said the election of the office-bearers was conducted at Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner’s office instead of Gurughar stood no religious validity either. TNS